The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 802
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 802.
Hyuk So Jin spoke urgently.
“Bu Brother, that is….”
“It’s fine.”
Bu Eunseol shook her head calmly.
“There is nothing to worry about.”
And she addressed Hyang Elder.
“Ma Cheon Je abandoned the boundaries of the Mujik Gyeong long ago, and does not lift a hand against the weak.”
She wore a solemn expression.
“Ma Cheon Je only acts against those of supreme strength—those worthy of his effort or capable of capturing his interest.”
“Are you saying the former Palace Lord is weak?”
“Let me finish speaking.”
As Hyang Elder cried out, Bu Eunseol exhaled deeply.
“And if he defeated a strong opponent, he would certainly broadcast it across Tianxia. That is what I believe befits the prestige of the foremost master of the Demonic Path.”
Bu Eunseol fixed her gaze upon Hyang Elder.
“Yet this Ma Cheon Je supposedly killed the Wind Divine, and no word of it spread?”
“How would this elder know the true intentions of such a vile creature?”
“Then tell me. When and how did Ma Cheon Je kill the Palace Lord? Bring forth your evidence.”
Hyang Elder glanced briefly at Yong Hoe, who thrashed about with severed meridians, and spoke.
“That one provided clear evidence that the Palace Lord and the Grand Duke were ambushed by Ma Cheon Je.”
“Ambushed? What evidence?”
Hyang Elder ground her teeth.
“The wounds left upon the corpses of the Palace Lord and Grand Duke matched Ma Cheon Je’s martial techniques.”
“Just as I thought.”
“What do you mean?”
“Utter nonsense masquerading as reason.”
Bu Eunseol shook her head.
“Ma Cheon Je is not the former Wind Divine—even if all four of the current Murim’s Sasin descended upon him together, he could not guarantee victory.”
And she spoke with a dismissive snort.
“Yet he resorted to ambush to kill the Wind Divine and his Grand Duke? Ma Cheon Je, who places supreme value upon the prestige of the Demonic Path’s heavens?”
“What are you saying?”
“It’s a dog’s jest. Absurd.”
Hyang Elder cried out.
“Where is the law that the strong do not ambush the weak? Is it not common to kill in secret?”
Bu Eunseol nodded her head.
“If you speak thus, very well. So then, what evidence has Gwi Il Gye brought?”
“Ma Cheon Je’s unique martial technique.”
Hyang Elder spoke as though spitting blood.
“The Palace Lord and Grand Duke drew their final breaths beneath a colossal blade formed from solidified true qi. That bizarre true qi martial technique!”
If it was a bizarre true qi martial technique, it seemed to refer to the Woman’s True Decision from the Sagjung Bijul.
Bu Eunseol sighed deeply.
The Wind Divine Palace, supreme across Tianxia, had fallen victim to such a ridiculous deception orchestrated by Sam Gye?
‘The weakness of a sect that maintains its lineage in solitary pride, refusing to meddle in worldly affairs.’
Had the Wind Divine Palace been among the renowned sects of Zhong Yuan, such a scheme would never have succeeded.
But maintaining their legacy in secret upon this isolated Snow Mountain meant they lacked the sophistication to see through such crude machinations.
‘No, that cannot be right.’
Bu Eunseol detected another truth in Hyang Elder’s gaze.
Whether the Wind Divine had truly fallen to Ma Cheon Je or not had never truly mattered to her.
Her true purpose was to rebuild the Wind Divine Palace with the aid and support of Gwi Il Gye.
And if the Wind Divine had been slain by Ma Cheon Je, the supreme master of the Demonic Path?
Then the Palace Lord’s death would not seem so hollow.
‘The Wind Divine Palace truly does not know why the Wind Divine died.’
If they could not even discover the Palace Lord’s cause of death, nor identify the culprit—
Then a false tale of death at the hands of a worthy adversary would shine far more brilliantly than the truth.
‘Now I am beginning to resemble Ma Cheon Je myself.’
I had discerned from Hyang Elder’s expression and eyes that she spoke falsehood.
By pledging my life, I had provoked her resistance and drawn forth her genuine reaction.
Only Ma Cheon Je in all of Tianxia possessed such mastery over the hearts and minds of others.
Yet Bu Eunseol was already beginning to imitate even that.
“I see no further purpose in explanation.”
Bu Eunseol spoke, her gaze fixed upon Hae Yeon.
“It seems the Palace Lord must attend to closing the sect gates herself.”
A sharp whistle cut through the air.
Rather than answer, Hae Yeon unleashed a swift wind technique, severing Yong Hoe’s neck.
A dull thud echoed.
The severed head rolled pathetically across the ground.
For a master belonging to the Gwi Il Gye faction, it was a rather anticlimactic end.
“I shall verify the truth of this matter directly from Ma Cheon Je himself.”
She spoke toward Bu Eunseol.
“If it is a lie, I will kill you as well.”
“Come to the Demon Palace whenever you wish.”
A swift motion.
Bu Eunseol withdrew a Muhonjung token from her robes and handed it to her.
“Do not search aimlessly for Ma Cheon Je. When you arrive at the Demon Palace, show him this token. Then you will be able to meet with him privately.”
“Why are you giving me this? Are you concerned for me?”
“Regardless of the reason, I have obtained the Wind Divine Palace’s secret techniques. Therefore, it is only natural that I repay this debt, is it not?”
A soft laugh escaped her lips.
Hae Yeon smiled.
“Your courtesy is admirable. It was the same back then.”
In that instant, Bu Eunseol’s face flushed crimson.
When her body was revealed in the Underground Passage, the memory of covering her with his own garments surfaced in his mind.
“Bu Brother.”
At that moment, Hyuk So Jin and Jegal Seowoon approached.
“Your body has fully recovered?”
“It has.”
“Then we shall take our leave now, Palace Lord.”
As Bu Eunseol turned to depart, Hae Yeon spoke.
“I shall set aside the question of whether this Ma Cheon Je killed my disciples. That is something I can verify myself.”
Then, approaching Bu Eunseol, she spoke again.
“In any case, you have not only eliminated the villains who sought to devour my palace, but you also saved my life. That is an unchanging fact.”
She drew closer.
Hae Yeon, now so near that her face almost touched Bu Eunseol’s, lifted her enchanting eyes.
“That is to say, I, the Palace Lord, must repay this debt to you.”
“There is no need.”
“No need? If you leave your companions in such a state, their cultivation will suffer greatly, will it not?”
Hae Yeon gestured toward the battered forms of Hyuk So Jin and Jegal Seowoon.
“My palace possesses many fine medicines.”
Bu Eunseol had obtained a fortuitous opportunity equivalent to rebirth through the Pung Shin Haeng Ro.
But Hyuk So Jin and Jegal Seowoon bore deep wounds from the battle that remained unhealed.
There were no physicians near the Wind Divine Palace, nor any useful medicines to be found.
If they departed as things stood, by the time they reached Seong Do, their wounds could very well worsen.
“Moreover, both possess excellent aptitude. If you wish, I can not only heal them but also impart to them a power comparable to the Pung Shin Haeng Ro.”
Hae Yeon extended an extraordinary proposal.
“Since you have obtained the Pung Shin Haeng Ro, it would be beneficial for you to learn the practical methods from me, the Palace Lord.”
“But that is….”
Bu Eunseol, waving her hand, attempted to refuse.
Yet somehow, Hyuk So Jin and Jegal Seowoon had already pressed themselves against both her shoulders.
And they were gazing at her with eyes burning with intensity.
―Bu Brother. I want the Pung Shin Haeng Ro too.
―Since things have come to this, I would also like to….
Reading the earnest desires of the two, Bu Eunseol bowed in acceptance, as if she had no choice.
“I am grateful for the Palace Lord’s kindness.”
* * *
The forces of the Gwi Il Gye that had dominated the Wind Divine Palace were thoroughly eliminated.
In particular, Hyang Elder had allied with external powers and humiliated So Gung Ju.
Ordinarily, such an act of betraying one’s master and sect would warrant the severance of meridians and severing of the spine.
Instead, she merely stepped down from her position as Elder and received three years of wall-facing confinement.
Considering Hyang Elder’s age and her loyalty over the years, an exceptionally lenient punishment was imposed.
What was lamentable was So Gung Ju’s fate.
Deceived by Yong Hoe and having ruined her life through the Sun-Moon Harmony Great Method, she could no longer become the next Palace Lord.
However, when Hae Yeon awakened from her hundred-year slumber,
she had returned as the mightiest Wind Divine since the founding ancestor—so Wind Divine Palace would surely continue to operate without incident.
Moreover, if Sam Gye’s plan to devour the sect fell through,
they would simply eliminate those involved and erase all traces, as was their principle.
There would be no further retaliation or additional attacks.
Four days later,
“I am deeply grateful for your kindness.”
Before departing, Bu Eunseol expressed her profound gratitude to the Palace Lord, Hae Yeon.
Thanks to her generosity, I had obtained the methods to freely wield the Wind Cloud Divine Technique.
Unlike the Thunder Divine Technique or Water Divine Technique, which could be naturally deployed from the moment they fused with one’s body,
the Wind Cloud Divine Technique possessed numerous diverse methods of application.
However, in truth, I had already obtained most of these methods from the Wind Divine Path.
What I learned from Hae Yeon was not practical methods for the Wind Cloud Divine Technique, but rather how to suppress it.
Its properties differed markedly from other divine techniques, and without conscious control, it would naturally leak out unconsciously.
―Throughout generations, the Wind Divines had frequently died young from mysterious illnesses of unknown origin, or been assassinated by mysterious enemies.
This was what Hae Yeon had conveyed to me.
Remarkably, the Wind Divines had been killed by unknown forces across countless generations.
―Therefore… until you reach an invincible state that will never lose to anyone, it would be wise to refrain from openly displaying the Wind Cloud Divine Technique.
I was not afraid of assassination, but I agreed with the opinion to refrain from openly displaying the Wind Cloud Divine Technique.
Sam Gye was obsessed with the Divine Techniques.
Moreover, the Three Divine Techniques could be called my final bastion—so it would be best not to use Wind Divine Palace’s martial arts unless absolutely necessary.
“Thank you!”
“Palace Lord. I am deeply grateful for your kindness.”
Furthermore, both Hyuk So Jin and Jegal Seowoon had made great progress in their cultivation thanks to Hae Yeon’s assistance.
Both had been born as descendants of noble houses and had consumed countless spiritual medicines since childhood.
However, the human body could not perfectly absorb the essence of all spiritual medicines, and most remained hidden within acupoints.
Using Wind Divine Palace’s secret methods and the Wind Cloud Divine Technique,
she had helped them distribute all the spiritual essence hidden within their acupoints throughout the eight extraordinary meridians for storage.
As a result, not only did Hyuk So Jin’s Divine Flame Demonic Technique increase in power, but its range expanded more than threefold.
And Jegal Seowoon had also reached a state where he could freely deploy the Je Gal Family’s supreme techniques.
“There’s nothing to thank me for.”
Yet Hae Yeon stopped Bu Eunseol as she was about to leave and said something unexpected.
“Now it’s your turn to grant me a request.”
“A request?”
“Become the Grand Elder of this palace.”
In that instant, Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened as if she had seen a ghost.
“What do you—”
Hae Yeon spoke calmly without changing her expression.
“You have seen my entire naked body. And you even reached out and touched me.”
“Ahem.”
“Ahem.”
Hyuk So Jin and Jegal Seowoon turned their heads with awkward expressions.
It was entirely unexpected.
Bu Eunseol had obtained the Wind Divine Technique because she had shared a bed with Hae Yeon?
“It is absolutely not what you are thinking.”
Bu Eunseol, gripping Hyuk So Jin’s shoulder, spoke with an exceptionally grave expression.
“Do you understand?”
“No, well. Bu Brother is a full-grown adult too….”
The moment a blood-red radiance poured forth from Bu Eunseol’s eyes—sharp enough to melt steel—Hyuk So Jin answered with wide, innocent eyes, each word precise and measured.
“I understand. I understand perfectly.”
Then Hae Yeon spoke in a wistful tone, her voice soft as a whisper.
“Are you denying what transpired between us?”
“It was done to save the Palace Lord.”
Bu Eunseol spoke with unwavering resolve.
“I harbored no dark intentions nor malice whatsoever.”
“I know. But even if your intentions were virtuous, the truth does not change.”
“What do you mean?”
“Have the laws of the world transformed so greatly in a hundred years that a man may now freely gaze upon or touch a woman’s bare form?”
Now I could see that beneath her exquisite beauty lay the tongue of a silver-tongued sophist and master of rhetoric.
“Palace Lord.”
“If you have an explanation, offer it. I shall hear all of it.”
Bu Eunseol fell silent.
Hae Yeon had already made it abundantly clear that even if one’s intentions were virtuous, the truth would not be transformed into falsehood.
In other words, no matter what I said, the truth would remain unchanged…
As she had said, whatever words I offered would merely be excuses.
“Do you find me repulsive because I am over a hundred and twenty years old?”
Hae Yeon stepped forward, observing Bu Eunseol’s troubled expression.
“But I have remained imprisoned within the Crystal Coffin. My mind still holds only the memories of my twenty-year-old self.”
In those days, she had been counted among the most beautiful women under heaven.
Now, the essence of the Crystal Coffin had rendered her skin even more luminously pale, and her hair had transformed into a mysterious platinum hue.
When compared to the three supreme beauties of the present age, she was in no way inferior.
In her ethereal beauty and the refined grace of one who harbored secrets, she stood even above them.
“It is not because of your age, Palace Lord.”
Bu Eunseol explained calmly.
“I have duties that must be fulfilled. Duties for which I cannot guarantee my survival.”
“Whether a hundred years ago or now, the excuses men offer are all identical.”
Hae Yeon smiled faintly.
“Who said anything about spending a hundred years together?”
“What do you mean?”
“The Grand Patriarch is merely the Grand Patriarch. The Palace Lords of this palace must obtain a Grand Patriarch and marry to formally ascend to the throne.”
She covered her mouth and laughed.
“Could it be your heart was racing at the thought of marrying the Palace Lord?”
Her words had a way of captivating one’s very soul.
Bu Eunseol, dropping her stern expression, spoke with a somewhat flustered air.
“I was merely concerned throughout that it might tarnish the Palace Lord’s reputation.”
“Reputation, you say.”
Hae Yeon smiled brilliantly, seeming pleased with that answer.
“So you’re saying you don’t see me as a grandmother over a hundred years old.”
“Age matters little when it comes to one’s reputation.”
“Then, you acknowledge what you have done?”
“Of course.”
She spoke with her eyes narrowed into crescents.
“Others go to such lengths to hide their mistakes. Yet you—you don’t speak with a forked tongue, nor do you shirk responsibility.”
When Hae Yeon laughed openly without covering her mouth, it felt as though millions of roses had bloomed before my eyes.
That appearance was far too beautiful.
Hyuk So Jin and Jegal Seowoon, standing behind Bu Eunseol, found themselves unconsciously gaping with dazed expressions.
“I never cared much for conversation with others. But perhaps because I slept for so long… talking with someone has become this enjoyable.”
She paused mid-sentence.
Her hair, which fell to her waist, she tucked slightly behind her ear.
With that, the distinctive robes of the Wind Divine Palace revealed her pristine neck and collarbone.
In that instant, Bu Eunseol’s face flushed, and her heart inexplicably stirred.
She had recalled that dazzling figure from when her clothes had torn.
“Hmph.”
Seeing this, Hae Yeon displayed a teasing smile.
“Handsome men usually live up to their appearance. But you don’t seem to.”
Now I realized she had deliberately shown Bu Eunseol her delicate neck and shoulders.
For a female martial artist of the Murim, unconcerned with such trivial propriety, it was an audacious act.
“What do you think? Surely I don’t look like a grandmother, do I?”
Hae Yeon was being utterly bold.
With both hands, she gathered her hair up, fully exposing her neck and shoulders.
―Ooh!
Hyuk So Jin and Jegal Seowoon’s faces brightened as they gaped, drooling.
But Bu Eunseol quickly turned her head away, speaking in a low voice.
“Palace Lord, you jest too much.”
“Jest? I asked in all sincerity.”
Hae Yeon gazed at the flustered Bu Eunseol with a satisfied expression.
‘This is troublesome.’
Bu Eunseol could not grasp how to handle Hae Yeon.
Though she had slept in a comatose state in the Crystal Pavilion, by age alone she was one hundred and twenty.
In other words, her standing was even higher than Ma Cheon Je, who was called the sky of the current Demonic Path Murim.
“I’m hardly living up to my reputation. You’re too kind.”
Though we had never formally sworn the oath of brotherhood, Bu Eunseol and Hyuk So Jin were as close as blood siblings.
Noticing Bu Eunseol’s troubled expression, Hyuk So Jin gathered his courage and stepped forward.
“Bu Brother is quite famous throughout Gangho for living up to his reputation.”
…albeit through rather unconventional means.
“Moreover, with his rakish tendencies, he’s scattered romantic entanglements across every corner of Zhong Yuan during his travels through Gangho.”
Hyuk So Jin spoke with utmost seriousness.
“The women waiting for Bu Brother right now are likely far more numerous than the nuns of the Ami Sect on Ami Mountain.”
Though his words carried some exaggeration.
Yet considering Bu Eunseol’s past deeds, it was hardly an outlandish claim.
When Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened, Hyuk So Jin shook his head.
―Please bear with me. There’s no other way.
Reading the meaning in Hyuk So Jin’s gaze, Bu Eunseol reluctantly nodded.
“Perhaps saying there are more than the Ami Sect disciples is somewhat exaggerated, but there are certainly women to whom I’ve made promises of a future.”
Bu Eunseol deliberately emphasized the word ‘women.’
But Hae Yeon merely laughed melodiously and shook her head.
“That hardly concerns me.”
Placing both hands on her slender waist, she spoke with confidence.
“Do any of them possess a higher station than this Palace Lord?”
“That’s hardly possible.”
As Hyuk So Jin shook his head, triumph gleamed in Hae Yeon’s eyes, which held the hue of the sea.
“And is there anyone with martial prowess surpassing this Palace Lord?”
Hyuk So Jin paused in serious contemplation before shaking his head.
No matter how he considered it, there was no one in this era who could surpass her, the Wind Divine.
“I don’t believe so.”
“How fortunate.”
“But with only station and martial prowess…wouldn’t it be somewhat difficult to compete with those women?”
Hyuk So Jin whispered to her with a deliberately sympathetic expression.
“Moreover, once Bu Brother’s rakish nature awakens, he wanders ceaselessly for three days and nights, seducing women left and right.”
It was a flaw that even a bold heroine of Gangho could not tolerate.
But Hae Yeon was different.
“This Palace Lord is not so narrow-minded.”
Lifting her long eyelashes, she gazed at Bu Eunseol with unwavering confidence.
“I only wish you wouldn’t add more rivals. My palace’s scale isn’t that large, after all.”
Hae Yeon spoke as though
she might immediately welcome Bu Eunseol and those women into the Wind Divine Palace.
―Completely…different.
Faced with this unexpected response,
not only Bu Eunseol but even the cunning Hyuk So Jin felt his expression stiffen.
Only now did they realize she was unlike any woman who had appeared before—a formidable opponent not easily overcome.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————